In modern vehicles, sensor devices are increasingly being used, for example for driver assistance systems. These sensor devices are often arranged behind the windscreen of a vehicle by means of a fastening device and look through the screen in the direction of travel. Examples of sensor devices are radar, ultrasonic, laser and LiDAR sensors as well as vehicle cameras of varying design, e.g. for distance measurement and/or for detecting objects, obstacles and roadway barriers.
A fastening device for the arrangement of a vehicle camera behind a windscreen is, for example, known from DE 10 2010 010 571 A1.
The fastening devices used for the sensor device so far have several drawbacks.
It is often difficult to install and remove sensor devices in/from known fastening devices, and usually large forces are required, in particular if elastic components, e.g. metal or plastic springs, are used to compensate for installation or positional tolerances. Such elastic components act contrary to their normal function in most cases, i.e. opposite to the fastening or installation direction of the sensor device, in particular if the elastic components push the sensor device away from the vehicle window.
In particular in case of fastening devices which combine a snap-lock or snap-in action with elastic fixing elements, in particular elastic components made of plastic, e.g. plastic springs, negative effects will be observed as a function of temperature and over time, e.g. the elastic components may creep and/or yield. As a result, the sensor device will, in particular, come loose within the fastening device during its service life in the vehicle.